After a weekend of reading about it and hearing about it, I began growing weary of all the talk regarding Chicago White Sox GM Kenny Williams relationship with manager Ozzie Guillen.  And then last night, I talked to my 75 year-old mother, a marginal if not occasional fan at best who informed me "I hear Ozzie and Kenny aren't getting along."  I pointed out to her that having raised myself and my brother, she, of all people, should know better. That two strong personalities sharing the same space are bound to clash.  She agreed.

I read this morning that the poison pens and wagging tongues have it on good authority that Kenny would like to fire Ozzie and that only Jerry Reinsdorf's loyalty to Ozzie stands in the way.  Let's explore the reality of that for just a moment.

Collaborators grow weary of each other over time.  If it's not creative issues, it's style issues or who gets credit for what.  Very few collaborations last forever (except for Tony LaRussa and Dave Duncan.)  Even Al and Tipper are giving up the ghost after forty years.

I have been in meetings where the boss or the big boss is demanding the head of someone for some reason that quite frankly is pretty weak.  But when you are the boss or the big boss, you don't need a reason, you just need an excuse.  And it's easy, when you have the authority to terminate someone, to fire them when you are most angry at them.

I was the voice in the room that preached common sense, similar to what The Chairman has been doing.  If you are in that meeting and you hear the boss or the big boss say "I want him gone", the correct response is "so, who do we replace him with."  That usually focuses the conversation on the transgressions and how everybody needs to calm down and discuss things in a rational manner.

I can honestly say I have saved a few jobs for doomed employees, sometimes at my own downfall.  One guy I saved from almost sure unemployment thanked my by stabbing me in the back and contributing to me losing my job.  But at the time, defending him and saving him was the absolute best course of action and I'd do it again if I was in the same situation.

Kenny and Ozzie are frustrated.  Kenny gave Ozzie what he wanted and Ozzie has had problems jelling it into a winner.   The Sox lead the league in steals.  That's the kind of team Ozzie wanted.  The big issues revolve around Ozzie's sons, Oney and Ozney.  Oney got fired for tweeting (which the Sox were justified in doing) and Ozney got drafted in the 22nd round, far below family expectations.  The Guillen family somehow read conspiracy into it and Ozzie had an intense conversation with Kenny about it last week, which was widely reported and discussed ad naseum.

Look kids, even the best of friends has a disagreement every once in a while.  But you have to ask yourself this question: Would the Sox be better of f without either Ozzie or Kenny?  You think either one of them would be out of work more than five minutes before someone were to hire them?  If you answered anything other than "hell no", you are not a White Sox fan.

Honestly, I believe that if Freddi Gonzalez gets fired in Miami, Ozzie might apply for that job since he has a house down there.  It would be perfect for him, especially since he is bi-lingual and would be a hero among the Hispanic population down there.  Is that what you really want?  And then, the Sox can go out and hire a retired like Eric Wedge.  Whoo hoo!

The point is, losing breeds arguments and winning breeds hugs and kisses.  Winning organizations stay focused on the prize while organizations that don't win or aren't winning breed dysfunction.  It's because we don't like to lose, and when we do, we quickly try to blame someone else or try to take them down with us.

If the Sox can put together a couple of decent streaks and crawl back into the AL Central race, that will cure all ills.  And if not, then I guess the room won't be big enough for both egos and someone will be shown the door.   However, you better know that you may not like what's on the other side of that door.